I. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a smart-card reader and in particular to a smart-card reader which is useful for different applications.
II. Description of the Related Art
DE-39 31 501 A1 discloses a smart card or chip card reader, i.e. a contacting apparatus comprising a contact element support or frame within which contact elements are fixedly mounted. A cover can be mounted on said contact element support, so as to form together with said frame an insert slot into which a smart card can be inserted into a card reading position. The cover is not required if a surface is provided by the apparatus in which the smart-card reader is used, a surface which assumes the function of the cover. In the card reading position the contact elements of the smart-card reader, which are also sometimes called reading contact elements, engage or contact so-called card contacts which are formed on at least one surface of said smart card. When a smart card is inserted into its reading position in the smart-card reader, then information stored in a chip located in the smart card can be read-out.
Smart card readers can be installed into certain apparatuses, for instance a television set so as to be used together with a smart card for the control of the operation of such an apparatus.
If different applications or usages are to be provided by an apparatus, for instance by a television set, then it is presently the common practice to assign to each of the applications or usages a dedicated smart-card reader. That is, a separate smart-card readers with smart card receiving means are provided for each card.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a smart-card reader which allows its use for at least two applications or usages for the apparatus in which the smart-car reader is installed. Thus, space in the apparatus in which the smart-card reader is used, is saved, and the cost of installing readers is reduced.
It is another object of the invention to allow for a less expensive production of a smart-card reader.
In accordance with another object of the invention a smart-card reader is provided which can be readily soldered into a printed circuit board of a customer to be used in an apparatus in which the smart card reader is to be based.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a duplex smart-card reader into which smart cards can be inserted with at least two different orientations.
In accordance with the present invention a smart-card reader comprises a base portion or base, a first group of contact elements fixedly mounted in said base portion, a cover portion or cover placed on top of said base portion and a second group of contact elements fixedly mounted in said cover portion.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the contact elements of each of said groups of contact elements comprise a termination end or portion adapted to be connected to an electrical circuit and a contacting end adapted to contact one of the card contacts formed by said smart card, and wherein the contacting ends of both groups face towards each other.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the base is fixed to the cover forming a card receiving or card insert slot in the area in which said contacting ends face each other. A smart card is adapted to be selectively inserted into said insert slot for contacting either the contact elements mounted in the cover and/or the contact elements mounted in the base.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention connecting means are provided for the termination ends or portions of the contact elements either in the cover or in the base.
Preferably, the termination ends of the contact elements in the cover are extended by said connecting means to a level of the termination ends of the contact elements in the base.
In a further embodiment of the invention the connecting means comprises a printed circuit board having a front end and a rear end and extending from a front end of the cover to a rear end of the cover and beyond said rear end of the cover forming an overhanging portion. The termination ends of the contact elements of the first group extend upwardly from an upper surface of the cover, while the termination ends of the contact elements of the second group extend downwardly from a bottom surface of the base. The upwardly extending termination ends of the contact elements in the cover are connected to conductive paths of said printed circuit board. Said conductive paths lead to the rear end of the printed circuit board, i.e. the overhanging portion in which pins are provided which are connected with their one ends to said conductive paths and extend downwardly with their other ends to the level of the termination ends of the contact elements in the base.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention an end position switch is located in the cover or the base, preferably in the cover. Said end position switch comprises two contact elements fixedly mounted in the base or cover.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention a smart-card reader is provided which comprises a base with contact elements having termination ends forming soldering contacts adapted to be soldered into a printed circuit board and projecting away from the bottom surface of said base. The bottom surface is opposite to an upper surface of the base adjacent to which the contacting ends or portions of the contact elements are located. The smart-card reader further comprises a cover in substance similar to said base and also carrying contact elements with termination ends forming soldering contacts and projecting away from an upper surface of the cover which is opposite to a bottom surface of the cover adjacent to which the contacting ends or portions of the contact elements are located. The cover is placed on the base such that the bottom surface of the cover and the upper surface of the base (close to which the contacting ends of the contact elements are located) face towards each other thus forming said card insert slot.
Means are provided to connect the termination ends of all the contact elements including the contact elements forming the end position switch such that the entire smart-card reader can be readily connected with a customer circuit board. Said connecting means electrically connect all contact element termination ends of said first or said second group, such that all terminations of said contact elements are one side of the smart-card reader.
Generally speaking, any kind of galvanic connection can be provided between the contact elements in the cover and/or base, so that they can be readily connected to the customer circuit board. Instead of connecting means in the form of a rigid circuit board with a pin arrangement as described, also a polyflex connection can be provided between the contact elements in the cover and the customer circuit board.